It can definitely be done, but this economy is so difficult for many. A few barriers that you my have is to try and first find that targeted audience. Since you will offer a course locally, you will have to advertise on CL or through local job bulletin boards. People are often looking for new ways to make money and they would be ideal candidates.
Another method, as was mentioned above, is to give something away for free. offer sign ups for your FREE newsletter or report and then begin building a targeted e-mail list. Once you can start to capture e-mail addresses, then you can survey your subscribers with an auto responder and find out if they would be interested in this "course" in their area. Create sign-ups with a deadline to register as "seating is limited".
This offering would be down the road, of course, but something to look forward to as you will inevitably have to expand this service to outlying markets to make money. To negate the high costs involved in traveling, arranging to stay at a hotel, and finding a facility to rent by the hour to give your "course", you can offer the same service online. James Jones is one of the better ones at doing this technique and is using Kindle. He is making solid money I'm sure.
Online will be more profitable to you than offline as you will reach out to a larger following. Also, you can outline a way that 'affiliates' can earn with your program so that residual income develops. After a while, you won't be doing much of anything and you can focus on the next method before this one becomes entirely saturated.
Offline, you will struggle with higher costs vs. paid sign-ups without having web celebrity status. If everyone has heard of you, no problem getting people to sign-up to one of your courses and you could charge pretty much anything you feel is fair....they will pay for that knowledge. Without being well known in the niche, your'e just as good as your CB screenshot.
Just my $.02....Good Luck!
